Meeting
by noodlum
Summary: Remus and Tonks meet. T for swearing twice.


Nothing you recognise is mine. A very simple, quite boring story. Doubt I'll add more chapters. Nevertheless, enjoy.

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Remus Lupin and Sirius Black sat together in the dark, grimy kitchen of Number 12 Grimauld Place. A half played card game lay abandoned on the scrubbed wooden table.

"It's nice to be able to come visit you Sirius," Lupin said suddenly.

Sirius was waving his wand in circles, making a tiny ring of flames in front of him. "It is, but it could be in a much better location," he replied, tiredly.

"Once the Order moves in it'll be a bit more homely I should think."

"Maybe," he said dryly. "Speaking of the Order, Tonks should be- "

"_FILTHY HALF-BREEDS AND FREAKS AND TRAITORS IN MY HOUSE! DISGRACING THE PUREBLOOD STATUS OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK-"_

"THAT'LL BE HER," Sirius shouted as he went to pull open the kitchen door. He could hear Tonks pulling the portrait's curtains closed as the screaming began to dim. "We're down in the kitchen," he called out.

Tonks arrived at the foot of the stairs looked quite frazzled. "Always nice to catch up with the relations," she said grimly.

Lupin laughed from the kitchen, taking in the visitor's appearance. Her small stature, spiky purple hair and gentle features caught his eyes and refused to let them go. He blinked and quickly began tidying up the cards left on the table as Sirius proceeded to greet his cousin.

"Nymphadora, what a pleasure," Sirius exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

Tonks' eyes narrowed, her iris' turning a dark shade of red. "Sirius…"

"Now, now, my dear cousin, we have company here! Try to control that rage, eh?"

Tonks glared at him but switched her focus to the man sitting at the kitchen table. "Who have we here?"

"Remus," Lupin said, clearing his throat, "Remus Lupin."

Tonks face lit up as she moved closer to the table, "Yes I've heard of you! Lupin… Sirius' friend, the prefect, the good guy in the group."

Lupin smiled, "Certainly in comparison to Sirius and James, I was the good one."

Tonks continued to look at Lupin, nodding. "Remus, like Romulus and Remus, the twins raised by wolves."

Lupin laughed nervously, "Why yes, my parents thought it nice to name me after the one who dies."

Tonks chuckled along with Sirius, "Remus is a nice name, certainly better than _Nymphadora_."

"I think Nymphadora is just lovely," jibed Sirius, smirking, "Really reflects the dainty, feminine, fairy-like qualities you possess."

Tonks shot daggers at him, her hair slowly turning red. Lupin sat back in surprise. "You're a metamorphmagus?"

Tonks turned to him, blinking. "Er, yes. Most people don't even know what that means, let alone recognise it."

Lupin shrugged slightly as Sirius pulled up a chair at the end of the table. "Dear old Remus here has brains to burn but not a lot to use them for. Tonks take a seat there."

Tonks sat opposite Lupin, stealing another glance at him. He looked slightly uncomfortable. "What do you do then Lupin, you were in the original Order, weren't you?"

"I was yes, along with many of our friends," he threw a sad glance at Sirius, "I'm actually a teacher, when I can get work."

Tonks was intrigued, "So what do you teach? Better not be Herbology or something," she said, wrinkling her nose, "I was awful at that."

Lupin laughed, "I teach Defence against the Dark Arts. Fascinating subject, there'll be a particular need for it now I should think."

"It was my favourite subject," said Tonks, nodding in agreement. "It's what made me want to become an auror."

Lupin raised his eyebrows. "An auror at your age? Impressive."

Tonks laughed, "Metamorphmagus; I'm as young as I feel… Literally."

Sirius cleared his throat. "All right, all right, break up the sweet talk kids."

Lupin's lip twitched slightly as Tonks threw a look at Sirius, who didn't seem to notice.

"Tonks, we need to organise a day to get you properly inaugurated into the Order. Obviously you've been granted access to the headquarters by the secretkeeper, but another meeting -"

Tonks cut Sirius off, "It's already been arranged with Dumbledore. I'll be sworn in next week at the same time as Arthur Weasley and his wife."

Sirius sat back looking happy, "Well, job done then, I think a drink is in order." He flicked out his wand and conjured three tumblers along with a bottle of firewhiskey.

Lupin looked slightly apprehensive, but took a glass. Tonks also grabbed one, taking a look at the bottle. "Only the finest, eh Sirius?"

"Of course Tonks, it's about the only good gene that runs through every generation of Blacks - a fine taste in Liquor," Sirius raised his glass, "To the new Order of the Phoenix."

The three adults clinked glasses and took a drink. Lupin set his glass down and stretched in his chair. Tonks lowered her glass and looked at him thoughtfully. "Lupin you say you find it hard to get work. Surely Hogwarts is the place for you? Even when I was there they were having trouble keeping DADA teachers."

Lupin shifted awkwardly, "I did work there, for a year, but I decided to resign."

Tonks looked surprised, "Really? I'd have thought Hogwarts would be a great place to work. I mean, I had my fair share of altercations with the staff during my time, but I should think they're an interesting crowd to work with."

Lupin nodded, "Yes, I enjoyed immensely, it was like a home to me."

"Then why leave?" Tonks pressed.

He looked exasperatedly at Sirius, who was smiling slightly. "Tell her Moony."

Lupin shook his head slightly, however Sirius waved him off, "Remus, Tonks would be scared by nothing less than you telling her that you're actually You Know Who in disguise."

Tonks was looking increasingly curious. Lupin turned to her, only to see something click in her mind. She looked at him with wide eyes. "You're a werewolf?"

Sirius was smiling, however Lupin looked awkwardly into his glass of amber liquid. "Yes," he said, finally.

"Surely that's no reason to leave?" Tonks stated, "I mean there are potions now that make transformations safe."

"A, ah, member of staff let slip to the students that I'm a werewolf. No doubt the letters from parents would have flooded in demanding that I leave. People would be concerned for their children's safety," Lupin said, almost dismissively.

Sirius, however, growled angrily, "Snape, that slimy dickhead. He should have been sacked for that, it's slander! But no, Dumbledore needs him, _trusts_ him." He set down his glass with a thud, "Ugh."

Tonks wrinkled her nose. "Snape taught me in my final two years. Horrible man. But what was _really _appalling about him, was his hair."

Lupin laughed heartily. "You know I think that's exactly why Sirius hates him so much."

Sirius continued to growl as he refilled the tumblers. "Greasy prick…"

"Last drink for me Sirius, I'm on duty in a few hours. Be best not to show up drunk! I don't suppose Fudge would notice anyway, he's too busy hiding in his office," Tonks said, sighing.

Lupin took another drink from his glass and looked at Tonks curiously, "How did you deduce I was a werewolf with such little information?"

Sirius turned to her also. Tonks shrugged, "Well… Good old Auntie Black up there informed me that there are, ahem, "half-breeds and traitors" disgracing her house. I figured someone in here must have some sort of, well, condition."

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Thanks for reading!


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